1.3.7-Kcrabb88
Brick!Club 1.3.7- The Wisdom of Tholomyes In which Tholomyes continues to just generally be the jerk of all jerks (because WOW, he kissed another woman in FRONT OF FANTINE. Although Favourite’s motivations continue to intrigue me) and also continues talking A LOT and I’m not even sure any of his friends or the ladies are all that interested in listening to him talk? They all just seem slightly bewildered as in “what exactly are you talking about and why are you talking about it?” He doesn’t even have anything clever to say, or any real intellectual nature to his rant, it just sort of…is. Tholomyes very much gives off the air of someone who tries to give off the impression that he knows a great deal, when really he knows nothing at all, and his ego is certainly something to behold. While Grantaire has obvious tendencies to rant later on, one can at least tell that he’s actually very intelligent and has clearly been educated; his rants are chock full of all kinds of classical allusions, and I never get a sense that Grantaire has an ego at all, in fact it’s quite the opposite. For me, it seems like Tholomyes is the type of cynic who has no desire to be any different than he is, while Grantaire, I think, has a great admiration for idealism and hope. (SEE: He loved and venerated Enjolras. Who is one of the greatest symbols of hope in this whole novel.) Grantaire, I’d argue, wants to be wrong about his cynicism; Tholomyes thinks he’s the only one in the room with the right idea. And there I go again with Les Amis comparisons. Another thing I noticed about this section is just how quiet Fantine is; she never says a word the entire time, and I can hardly think of any time so far when she’s said very much at all. I suppose I can’t help but wonder why she’s so very silent. I know she has a tendency to be dreamy, but even dreamy people do speak sometimes. I suppose I’m wondering if it’s just her being naturally shy, or if she doesn’t think she has anything to add, or if Tholomyes only berates her when she speaks? That idea wouldn’t surprise me, and it only makes me EVEN SADDER for Fantine, which is saying something as her character is essentially weaved out of tears. Commentary Pilferingapples But it’s such a valid comparison! And I think pretty much right for why one of them is pretty close to being a villain of the story, and the other is sympathetic. I’d say too that Tholomyes seems to want to convince others to share his worldview, while Grantaire just sort of HAS his, and if anything would rather be convinced he’s wrong. Another thing I noticed about this section is just how quiet Fantine is; she never says a word the entire time, and I can hardly think of any time so far when she’s said very much at all. I suppose I can’t help but wonder why she’s so very silent. I know she has a tendency to be dreamy, but even dreamy people do speak sometimes. I suppose I’m wondering if it’s just her being naturally shy, or if she doesn’t think she has anything to add, or if Tholomyes only berates her when she speaks? That idea wouldn’t surprise me, and it only makes me EVEN SADDER for Fantine, which is saying something as her character is essentially weaved out of tears. Wow thank you for helping really highlight the CRUSHING SADNESS OF FANTINE’S BASIC EXISTENCE at this point, I wasn’t feeling sad enough about her and her life in general. Gad, I bet Tholomyes totally laughs at everything she says and not in the good supportive way. Well it’s good he’s about to go then! I— wait. HOW IS EVERY OPTION HERE PAIN. Malarkey-comes-in-bunches (reply to Pilferingapples) Ooh I love the ideas about Tholomyes having a different “type” of cynicism from Grantaire later on. It’s like Tholomyes loves the sound of his own voice where as Grantaire almost can’t help what he’s saying and hates himself for it. Also if we’re going with the Les Amis comparisons, I seem to remember that Hugo describes Courfeyrac as being like Tholomyes, only NOT AN ASSHOLE. Basically ugh Tholomyes you suck and Fantine you make me so sad. Kcrabb88 (reply to Malarkey-comes-in-bunches' reply) Hugo DOES describe Courfeyrac like that, yes! ;) I pulled out my Brick looking for the quote and it says, “Courfeyrac only was a brave fellow. Beneath the apparent similarities of the exterior mind, there was a great dissimilarity between Tholomyes and him. The latent man which existed in each, was in the first altogether different from what it was in the second. There was in Tholomyes an attorney, and in Courfeyrac, a paladin.” And one definition of a paladin is the “champion of a cause” which we know Courf certainly is, and Tholomyes most certainly is not. They might seem the same upon first glance as Hugo points out, but Courf is so incredibly genuine, whereas we know Tholomyes is so far from that. Les Amis always seem to be relevent. :D